Abaddon Incarnate

Wywiad przeprowadził - Tomasz Osuch
When I always heard about Ireland, the first thing that came to my mind, was the widely publicized conflict (with Irish Republican Army), and a famous videoclip as well... till one day, when some quartet band proved, what things can be created in this seemingly picturesque country. Brutal death/grind machine hidden under the name Abaddon Incarnate, though having several important episodes during a dozen years or so, didn't manage to achieve stronger position in official rankings. I'm not going to foretell, what will and what will not happen to this band in the future, I can only assure you that the latest ground ragout by Abaddon Incarnate touches my palate with its spicy taste and juicy contents. Although, some drink to Abaddon Incarnate meal isn't necessary, I'd rather you took full glass of whisky before gazing longer at the screen, since Steve Maher seems to be quite a talkative man... Abaddon Incarnates last album "Nadir" is available from one year and few months. Tell me Steve, how have the reactions been so far?

"Well Tomasz, the reactions have been very positive we have been getting really good reviews mostly like 8/10 to 9/10. This is a really good feeling for us because we put so much effort into it. But we still can't crack the big magazines in the UK. With the new album we are going to attack that scene with huge promotion because, let's face it, it's only on the other side of our shores. Reviews are coming in from Philippines, Argentina, USA, Poland and other far flung cool places. We are even getting some licensing from Irond in Russia. But still in the UK it's like we don't exist. We have some real good friends there like Desecration and Thus Defiled but unfortunately that is all. It's becoming a real ambition for us now to solve this problem, as a matter of principal."

I suppose we have to talk for a moment about your camp's past. You started twelve years ago as a death metal band named Bereaved. Can you describe this band?

"Well, myself, Bill and Olan who are the current line up really would like to forget that period because it contained some real inferior songwriting and musicianship not to mention different line up problems all the time. We released two demo tapes the first entitled "Signs of Death" and the second entitled "Tortured Souls". I was 15 years old. The music was kind of cross between "Obituary - Cause of Death" and "Napalm Death - Harmony Corruption". It was a good way to learn how to play live and record in a studio and develop a mental attitude of being in a band and the commitment it entails, but it had no other positive point of existing really."

Bereaved transformed into Abaddon Incarnate. Together with changing the name, your music had changed too. What was the main reason did you decide for it? Abaddon Incarnate is a unique name for brutal death/grind core band. What does it mean?

"Well the original drummer became a Heroin addict and left and then we got Olan. Then we all started to develop as musicians and we had some itch to play blast beats all the time. (Bereaved never used a blast beat!) So we asked the other guitar player to leave because he was not very good either and I assumed the guitar playing. Then we decided to change the name. We were all listening to Immolation, Incantation, Morbid Angel and other Evil Death Metal stuff so we wanted to be a occult based band anti religious evil band too. So we taught of some names and when we were smoking pot and drinking beer one night and decided on Abaddon Incarnate. It means Destroyer made flesh. It's the embodiment of Armageddon. The way we developed was that we would write Death Metal guitar parts and Olan would play Grind core drums behind it and so we became a Death/Grind band."

You come from Ireland and I don't believe that the brutal death/grind scene in your country is active. Ireland is famous 'cause of the popularity The Cranberries band worldwide, Primordial and bands like Waylander, Cruachan in metal world. How can you recommend Irish death/grind scene? Do you have any interesting band? I know only one - Abaddon Incarnate:)

"The Cranberries really suck, they robbed a guitar part from our "Signs of Death" demo when we were called Bereaved and used it on their "Zombie" song that shows you how shit they are! We have a couple of good bands here that are Extreme. They are Putrefy, Condemned, The Swarm, Coldwar and Scald. You can check out their web pages as links off "MetalIreland.com" And you can see the entire Irish scene on this Web page."

Ok, let's back to "Nadir" album. You recorded this album at Soundlab Studio with Mieszko Talarczyk of Nasum as a producer. Are you satisfied with the results of "Nadir" or it can be better? How long did you record it?

"We are 90% happy. We had 2 weeks to record it but a think we needed 3. More time on the Vocals would be nice and more time on the overall production. Mieszko is very good at working in a limited time frame under pressure. He is dedicated to the job at hand. We are going again in the autumn and we will have 3 weeks this time so expect a far superior performance. We are not really looking for a better sound as we enjoy the dirty grinding nature of Nadir. But we want to spend more time on the performance in the studio."

Mieszko had taken a part in "Nadir" as a guest in "Where's my axe?" as a vocalist. Nice to hear this little surprise! Maybe you have to think about some side-project together in the future?! Did you think about this idea?

"I don't think this will happen unless we get paid a lot of money because he is based in Sweden and we are here in Ireland. So it will be impossible to write any songs, rehearse or anything. Anyway he has a lot of work with his studio, Nasum and Genocide SS and we are very busy with Abaddon writing and touring and I also have work with Geasa."

You said about Geasa, Steve. It's totally different music than in Abaddon you prefer! Does it mean that you are open-minded musician? Tell me something about this band.

"Hmmmmmm I prefer to play with Abaddon Incarnate it is my number 1 project in life before family, friends, career, and girlfriend or side project. Geasa is cool for me because I get to play real melodic guitar and develop this side of things. I am a open minded Musician. I would be interested in playing any heavy music, Death, Thrash, Speed, Black, but not Doom that would piss me off, too slow. Grind is my number 1 fascination though. The first 2 extreme Cassettes I bought after I got pissed off listening to Slayer and Nuclear Assault was "Napalm Death - From Enslavement…" and Morbid Angel - Altars.." Altars is of course not a grind Album but Pete Sandoval's drums have a great grinding sound, only on this album though. He does not sound so hot on other Morbid Angel Stuff only Altars and "Terrorizer - World Downfall" Geasa is my way to get all the Iron Maiden and Bathory out of system."

What with other members of Abaddon Incarnate camp? Are they playing in any other bands?

"No, they don't believe in it and disapprove of me doing it."

Abaddon Incarnates debut album was recorded in famous Tico Tico Studio, and the second kick was taken a place exactly at Soundlab Studio. Now, you have some comparison. What is the most important difference between these studios in your opinion Steve?

"OK Tomasz. Tico Tico is a top of the range studio with cool equipment and so is Soundlab. The main thing was that the Tico Tico producer is only used to producing melodic stuff like Thy Serpent and Sentenced and did not understand what we were doing at all. Mieszko on the other hand new exactly what he was doing and that was the big difference. It was our decision to go to Sweden but it was Season of Mist's decision to go Finland."

"The Last Supper" was released by Season of Mist. Then you guys signed a deal for two albums with them. Finally you recorded for SOM only one. What was the reason of your departure from Season of Mist?

"We felt that S.O.M. didn't promote us like they promised they would. He was very hard to work with. The sales figures he gave us did not add up to what some of our friends who work with distribution companies were telling us he was hard to get hold of over the phone and his e-mails were insulting and condescending and to this day he refuses to send me a official sales statement. So we decided that we did not want to work with him any more and found a label we could work with and trust "Sentinel"."

And "Nadir" was released through small label Sentinel Records. Why did you decide exactly for this label? In my opinion, with your music you could interest some bigger label… like f.ex: Season of Mist….

"Well I explained why we left Season Of Mist. in the last answer so now I will explain our reasons for signing to Sentinel. Both of the guys who work in Sentinel have been Abaddon Incarnate Supporters for many years. They helped us sell our first demos in Germany and gave us our first interviews back in the old tape trading days and the time of flyers and snail mail before the internet. So after being disillusioned with big companies like S.O.M. we opted for a label with whom we had a history and who had honor and integrity who are Sentinel. Also we were their first release so we knew they would give it 100% and they did. I am far happier with the work that Sentinel did than the work S.O.M. did."

"Nadir" is available in the countries like Russia, Ukraine, Lithuania, and Estonia. But in Poland I haven't seen "Nadir" yet in official selling. Is Sentinel planning some license in my country? Is it possible? Do you know something about it, Steve?

"We have done some interviews in Poland and sold some cd.s via mail order but we have not been approached by a record label yet as regards to licensing although we are of course open to the idea. I am also very much interested in the idea of touring in Poland because it is such a big country and has such a rich history. So maybe Tomasz this interview will help spread interest among Polish metal heads and you can help get us some concerts and licensing deal in your country?"

I'll try but I can't promise…Could you explain me the cover art of "Nadir" (is there a some historical photo?), and the title?

"The cover is a photo from the first world war of a priest about to be shot. It depicts the violent anti religious sentiment we have in our lyrics. We stole this picture from a big historical Magazine here in Ireland. We just thought it was cool to capture the last moments of some ones life before execution. Nadir is word that describes the lowest point. The deepest and darkest place. It represents the nature of the CD which is all about the ugly side of mankind, degradation and suffering, horror and death."

I think Steve that's high time for next Abaddon's attack! Are you planning new album? Tell me something about upcoming album…

"You know what Tomasz? I agree so we have signed a new deal with Spain's X-treem Music under the direction of senor Dave Rotten's leadership. It will be recorded in autumn 2003 for release in December 2003. We will record once again in Soundlab. The songs are more grind in approach leaving some of the death behind. Some of the new material is slower than anything we have done before but still sounds like grind core and we have songs that are the usual 10000 miles an hour blast beats also. So you will hear a diverse album."

For me personally, "Nadir" causes almost the same emotions such like Rotten Sound, especially "Murderworks". Could you agree with me if I say that you play in the same vain?

"I never heard this band. It reminds me of Repulsion and Terrorizor. With some old Carcass bits."

In the beginning you played in mix-style like Morbid Angel, Impaled Nazarene and Brutal Truth. Three & half years ago you supported Morbid Angel on their concert in Dublin. You know Steve that they need a vocalist now, and I suppose also the guitarist 'cause of Rutan's departure. Maybe you should contact with them and try?! I think you have vocal's possibilities…

"I don't want to play with this band. They do not represent a type of music I like to play any more. I met their manager "Günter Ford" he is like the most powerful man in death metal. And guess what we didn't agree on anything. Morbid Angel are not allowed drink, drugs, or head banging when they play a show. They make lots of money and get to fuck around in the studio for 8 months but it's not my type of music. They don't grind any more. "Abominations…", my all time favorite L.S.D. musical companion and "Altars of Madness" which inspired me to take playing in a band seriously, that was Morbid Angel. But the new stuff doesn't excite me any more. That said if they telephoned me ad asked Id probably say yeah. For the experience."

What do members of Abaddon Incarnate usually like to drink? I ask because "Scene of the Crime" contains intro like almost from the party… Am I right?!

"Everything Beer, Cider, Tequila, Whiskey, Vodka. Scene of the crime starts with a guy being killed with baseball bats. If that's a party for you then Happy New Year."

Ok, now I know…:))) Abaddon Incarnate doesn't play very often. Some gigs and small tours from time to time. Are you planning to change it in this year?

"We get away as often as possible in 2002 we toured Czech Rep. Switzerland, France and Spain. In 2003 we will tour Australia, France, Netherlands, Germany, Sweden, Austria and Return to Czech Rep again and Slovenia. So this will be in April and if you want us on some Polish dates you got to book us now, aincarnate@hotmail.com."

For the end, I'd like to know something about current religious and political situation in Ireland. How active is IRA nowadays?

"For the most part people here in Ireland don't give a shit about the problems here any more and would be friends and live peacefully but The IRA have split up into little organizations called Continuity IRA, Real IRA, Provisional IRA and on the other side is the Unionists who are loyal to England and want to return to England. They all fight amongst themselves endlessly. They can't just stop. There are not as many Bombs and Terror attacks as their was in the 70's and 80s when I was a kid but there is always the danger it will return that way. A Lot of these people are involved with drug dealing and protection rackets and that I think is the real reason they will not stop this feud."

Thanks Steve for the answers. Take care and close this interview as you wish friend….

"Ok that was the best questions I have had to answer in a long time. Thanks for your interest and good luck with Masterful. I hope to see you sometime if we get to play in Poland which I hope we can. Any one who wishes to contact us about anything should write AINCARNATE@Hotmail.com and visit the website WWW.ABADDONINCARNATE.COM

Tomasz Osuch


Najnowsza recenzja

Deamoniac

Visions of the Nightside
Trzeci album włoskiej death metalowej ekipy złożonej z byłych muzyków nieco bardziej znanego wszystkim Horrid. Tutaj, zafascynowani starą Szwecją oddają się całkiem przyjemnemu, brutalnemu m...





Najnowszy wywiad

Epitome

...co do saksofonu to był to przypadek całkowity. Bo idąc coś zjeść do miasta napotkaliśmy kolesia który na ulicy grał na saksofonie. Zagadałem do niego żeby nagrał nam jakieś partie i zgodził się. Oczywiście nie miał pojęcia na co się porwał, do tego komunikacja nie była najlepsza, bo okazał się być obywatelem Ukrainy i język polski nie był dobry albo w ogóle go nie było...